Chapter 24 – A Love Built on Shadows

Leonidas lay still, staring into the darkness.

She was here.

In his bed.

In his arms.

He still couldn't believe it. The girl he had silently loved for years, the one who had been just out of his reach, was now his. She had given herself to him—her trust, her body. But had she given him her heart?

A bitter smile curved his lips. No, not yet.

She was his, yet he was uncertain if she could ever return even a fraction of the love he bore for her—a love he had kept hidden for years, a love that had driven him to do the unthinkable.

He had done things in the name of keeping her safe.

No, if he was honest, he had done them for himself.

To keep her.

To make sure no one else could have her.

What if she ever found out?

Would she still look at him with those soft, uncertain eyes? Would she ever trust him again? Would she forgive him?

For the first time in his life, Leonidas felt fear. Not the fear of death, not the fear of poverty.or losing power—this was different. It was deeper. It clutched at his soul and whispered cruel possibilities in his mind.

What if she hated him?

What if she left?

He had always been prepared to fight the world for her, but what if the real battle was keeping her by his side?

Somewhere in the midst of his dark thoughts, exhaustion finally pulled him under.

---

Leonidas woke to warmth.

He had left space between them—forced himself to keep his distance—but now, impossibly, she was in his arms.

Her small body was pressed against him, her fingers curled slightly in the fabric of his shirt as if she had reached for him in her sleep.

His breath caught in his throat.

He had been careful, so damn careful, not to hold her, not to pull her close despite how much he craved it.

But now… she was the one clinging to him.

His chest ached at the sight. His fingers itched to trace the softness of her skin, to run through her hair, to brand himself onto her until she could never think of another man.

But he couldn't.

Slowly, he loosened his grip and forced himself to slip away from her warmth.

By the time the sun filtered through the curtains, he was already up, his face unreadable, his mind cold and calculating once more.

His dark eyes traced her delicate features—her lashes resting against her cheeks, the faint rise and fall of her breathing, the soft parting of her lips. She looked so peaceful, so untouched by the storm that raged inside him.

He shouldn't touch her.

But he did.

He reached out, brushing a single strand of hair from her face, his fingers barely ghosting over her skin.

She stirred, her lashes fluttering slightly, but she didn't wake.

His restraint was already wearing thin, and if she kept looking this vulnerable, this beautiful—

Leonidas exhaled sharply, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Good morning," he murmured, his voice lower than usual.

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she remained still. Then, as realization dawned, her eyes flew open, and she stared at him—dazed, uncertain.

The blush came next.

A deep, fiery pink bloomed across her cheeks, spreading down to her neck.

"I-I… um…" Her voice was barely above a whisper, and instead of finishing whatever thought she had, she quickly scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping over the sheets in her haste.

Leonidas smirked.

She was adorable.

She all but ran into the bathroom, the door clicking shut behind her.

He lay back against the pillows, amusement flickering in his gaze.

She was always so timid, so easily flustered. And it only made him want to push her further, just to see how much she could take.

By the time she emerged, freshly washed and still pink in the face, Leonidas was already seated at the dining table, sipping his coffee.

She hesitated at the doorway, shifting slightly before gathering the courage to take a seat.

The morning sunlight poured in through the wide windows, casting everything in a golden hue. The table was already set—a lavish spread of warm bread, eggs, fresh fruit, and tea.

She hesitated before reaching for her plate, but before she could serve herself, Leonidas was already placing food in front of her.

She blinked.

"I-I can do it myself," she mumbled, peeking at him uncertainly.

He didn't respond. Instead, he calmly added another serving to her plate.

She opened her mouth, probably to protest, when another piece of fruit appeared next to her eggs.

Her lips parted slightly, then closed.

She swallowed. "T-this is too much…"

Leonidas barely looked at her. "Eat."

She glanced at the food, then back at him.

"I-I can't eat this much," she tried again, her voice soft, uncertain.

"You can," he replied smoothly, taking a sip of his coffee.

Her fingers tightened around her fork. "B-but—"

Another piece of bread landed on her plate.

Her shoulders slumped.

Clearly, there was no winning against him.

She let out a quiet sigh and reluctantly picked up her utensils, taking small, hesitant bites.

Leonidas didn't say anything, but he watched her closely, his gaze unreadable.

She tried to ignore the way her hands trembled slightly, the way she could feel his presence so acutely even though they weren't touching.

The room was too quiet. Too intimate.

She swallowed hard. "U-um… do you always eat this early?"

Leonidas glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Yes."

"Oh… I-I see."

Another silence stretched between them.

She shifted uncomfortably.

Her mind scrambled for something to say, something to make the tension disappear, but every time she tried, she felt foolish.

And he… he was just sitting there, composed, calm, completely unaffected by the way her heart was racing.

A sharp knock on the door suddenly echoed through the room, breaking the silence.

Leonidas didn't react immediately. He simply wiped his mouth with a napkin, his expression unreadable as he granted permission to enter.

The door opened, and a tall man stepped inside—his secretary.

The man bowed slightly. "Good morning, sir."

Leonidas inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment.

The secretary's gaze flickered toward her. "Good morning, miss."

She quickly lowered her gaze. "G-good morning…"

The man then turned his full attention back to Leonidas, efficiently going through the day's agenda—meetings, reports, pressing matters that required immediate attention.

Leonidas listened in silence, his demeanor calm, unaffected.

She sat quietly, sipping her tea, her fingers trembling slightly as she held the cup.

Something was different.

The man who had kissed her forehead this morning, who had watched over her so intently, was gone.

Now, in front of his secretary, in front of the world, he was someone else entirely.

Cold.

Distant.

Unreachable.

The moment the secretary finished, Leonidas rose from his chair, adjusting the cuffs of his crisp black shirt.

She looked up at him hesitantly.

"I-I…" She hesitated, unsure of what she wanted to say.

He didn't wait for her to finish.

"I'll return late," he said, his tone neutral.

Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.

She watched him go, feeling strangely hollow.